Sacred Mountains
by wickedsinflower
Summary: Sacred Mountain Gagazet tests the foundations of ones strength, revealing how one to chooses to live their life, and how one chooses to die. Auron considers the group, his wards, and the Al Bhed. (Drabble series, 100 words per thematic prompt). Tidus x Yuna, Lulu x Wakka.


AN: Drabble 100 words per thematic prompt in Auron's POV. Takes place between chapter six and seven in other story, Silk and Steel. Removed because Auron's POV is not represented in that story. Is understandable without reading the other story.

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**Auron**

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Life

Yuna stands in front of the Ronso and fights for what she believes is life for all. Rikku stands next to her because she thinks that every life is precious. Tidus is transformed, fully living and fighting for the life he was given. They have made their decision. Lulu, Wakka and Kimarhi help but he is less sure of theirs. He watches the elder let them choose death.

Culture

The Al Bhed thief nudges him again, poking fun. He can't remember when he last touched a person, to touch them. When she chitters around him, gazing sorrowfully at Tidus and Yuna, he decides he will take the risk. He places a hand on her bare shoulder with a reassuring word. The priests would condemn him two-fold.

Indoctrination

They think they are free of the Church, he thinks bitterly. If they keep thinking they have escaped because they are outside of it, they will never be truly free. Yet, still, his ki is called forth and written on it is the language of Yevon the God and it is, has, and will always will be a part of this world. It is his choice how to use it, but it is a heavy weapon.

Death

Auron does not wish for Yuna to pause at every monument to pray, it slows their passage. They must keep moving, or the cold will set into their bones and they will freeze to death. The dead call to the dying, but Auron, catching phoenix feathers braided into hair, senses his state of being is made sharper by those who love to live.

Power

The thief listens when she wants to. The Al Bhed commands him sometimes. He doesn't think Rikku expects him to follow her orders, but he's learning that there's a difference between what he knows is an order and what she trusts is one.

Worth

He is nothing except the thing that will bring them safely through what he could not overcome.

Youth

He, the eldest, knows things and they do not. But Rikku knows ten thousand things that never in his past life he could have known, and would not have been able to figure out in three. She also admits she does not know all mysteries, but freely explains the wretched, ugly truths of reality. Perhaps the difference is that she can feel joy. Perhaps it is just that he is dead.

Honor

The Ronso demonstrates duty. The Black Mage hides a soft heart under a sharp smile and keeps balance. The Captain is loyal, to a fault. The boy shines right, polished with love. The girl's honor is perfect, familial, unselfish, sacrificial. Enter the thief: She complains loudly, she struggles, she compromises, thrives in chaos, leaves her people. She is greedy for others. She steals things from darkness but makes light. She takes from her friends, like burdens and pain, and repairs their protection. She freely speaks and acts. He thinks she embodies honor.

Friendship

There is a snowball fight. The little thief tries to snatch his sunglasses. They're for an ill made snow-likeness. He tolerates it well because she is lifting herself and others, but they press on. She waits for the boy to whisper her concerns because she sees the ledge but not the end of the fall. They press on, letting the boy and his confidant have their conspiracy. She calls them back, running, shouting that Tidus won't fight the dead Maester alone and turns immediately, knowing they would all be there.

Sacred

She breaks through Kimarhi's silence. She knows the loss of the many. She decides that fiends will be meat. She knows Lulu's portions are wrong. She seeks his comfort though she knows he with holds answers. She repeats one thing but has trouble believing it because she does not know how it could, or will be, true.

Mind

He was a warrior, once. Believed in personal integrity and honesty with others, the capacious mind and choosing death. A warrior's life is death. But he did not choose death, he failed himself by failing his friends, lies broke him and anger consumed him. Now, living perfectly as a servant and corpse, he cannot call himself a warrior because he is rage. He does not know what he is, except a promise hanging on to the thread of who he wanted to be.

Survival

He spent the last ten years diminishing, removing himself as he drifted in a sleepless metropolis but they need him. He braves the unbearable exquisite agony of recalling every part of life's terrible lightness and Rikku makes a joke. It's fucking hilariously ironic and he feels better watching her brave her fear for the others.

Taboo

He knows she is unashamed; of her bleeding, of her naked body, of her refusal to obey the church, of her feelings, or of being a guardian despite what her people say. He suspects she is also unashamed of desire, sex. He eavesdropped when she spoke to Yuna. He was ashamed he ever thought of it another way. He would never be able to tell her- he could not allow himself to. For fifteen reasons, give or take a thousand.

Maturity

Lulu drags her fingers over her breasts, running her fingers through her braids and leans forward. Somehow her neck is always exposed towards Wakka, who turns away. Auron notices that she no longer bats her lashes at him, but neither does she look to him to make her decisions.

Sacrifice

Let his life be the only thing given.

Experience

He has far too many scars for her to look at him like that.

History

He hates it in the Dome. He walks past the bridge, where he found Tidus a light fighter trainer. He crushes a crumbling sign. He knows the being that ran that store. But he doesn't remember everything. Can't recognize all the places. But he knows the dome, and he hates it.

Pleasure

She jumps and laughs as she solves the trails. He watches, and rage and hatred are kept at bay.

Instant

He watches himself die.

Body

His body is a lie and he feels little. But when he can feel his heart beat and his mind shift, the desire for the farplane leaves him for an exasperated sigh as hands with green nails steal something else from him.

Sex

Though his equal, and in many ways his better, Rikku is a child. A man, a soldier, a boy with one eye and scars asks to come to her room at night with no declaration. He moves, because Rikku is a girl. Sir Auron's told that she's the one who has power, the freedom to choose. Regardless, he affirms again, child. Another man offers a declaration and his body for her to choose. He learned, and does not move. He learns: to others, Rikku is no child. It is not something for him to protect her from. He cannot affirm.

Love

She asks him stand between her and death, without a glance, trusts him with her life. She hates death, dying, the dead, but she killed for her cousin who happens to be a summoner. She trusts him with her cousin, despite the rest of the world expecting him to help ensure that her Lady Summoner dies. She knows what causes him pain and cares to try to protect him from it. He hopes he misreads the situation.


End file.
